Spark
by Miss Hanamura
Summary: "There's a spark in between us." — Multiple pairs. Co-written with der kapitan. Title change.
1. Maid's Cafe

**Author's Note:**

**Aaaand here's the long-awaited collaboration between myself and Miss Hanamura! *shot* Right, like we don't have other stories to tend to…**

**Please note that this story contains (eventual) Yuri, crossdressing, mild language, and two OCs. If any of these 4 things bother you, kindly press the back button on your broswer~**

* * *

**The Sun Rises With You**

a Persona 4 (© ATLUS) fanfiction

a _der kapitan_/_Miss Hanamura_ collaboration

**xXxXx**

After a hot summer, fall is finally here. Before the trees wither and winter creeps upon them, the inhabitants of Inaba enjoy the warm colors and brisk air that come with autumn. In the aftermath of the murders, the small town is looking forward to the annual Yasogami High School's Cultural Festival. Though they are still shaken, they allow themselves to lapse into a state of comfort, at least for this weekend. This festival is exactly what they need for that sense of normalcy they all crave.

Class 1-2 buzzes with excitement, filled with giggling and chattering. The class representative clears her throat and taps the gavel against the podium, trying to regain the attention of her classmates. "Okay! I'm tallying the votes now!" she announces as she holds up a small basket filled with folded up pieces of paper. They wait, with baited breath, as she counts off the choices until she unfolds the final vote. "Well," she begins, sounding a little concerned, "it looks like we're going to be doing a… Maid Café."

The reaction is immediate: all the girls squeal (mostly out of disgust), while the guys cheer and give each other high fives. "Victory!" one boy shouts as he pumps his fists into the air.

Rise, sitting between her unresponsive teammates, claps her hands together in approval. "Oooh! A maid café! This sounds like so much fun!"

"A… maid café?" Kanji reiterates unsurely. (Naoto doesn't notice him glancing at her and turning red.) "I-I dunno, I mean… What are we even 'pposed to do?"

Naoto strokes her chin thoughtfully as she contemplates the mystery. "Hmm… I'm afraid I'm not familiar with the concept… What does one do at a 'maid café,' Rise-chan?"

Rise laughs, thinking that it's a joke, but she sees the serious expression the Detective Prince is wearing and the smile immediately dies on her face. "Oh, well." She clears her throat. "It's where we all dress up as maids…" When she turns to Kanji and grimaces, he just growls and brandishes a non-threatening fist. "… and a bunch of guys - usually just guys, though sometimes girls - stop by and we just…"

Kanji chokes, and by now his face is redder than Teddie's suit.

"Ew!" she shrieks, reading the images and thoughts racing through his head, and smacks him painfully. "Get your head out of the gutter! We just, you know, make them feel at home and stuff… I've never really been to one or anything, but sometimes on set I'd hear people talking about it."

"I-I see," Naoto replies, without much confidence. "So we have to wear dresses…?" Her cheeks flush as she tugs on the brim of her hat. "I don't think I'd be comfortable doing this… M-maybe I should sit this out…"

"No, don't be silly, Naoto-kun!" Rise protests. "You'd be so cute in a maid outfit! Besides, I bet a bunch of guys are just _dying_ to see you in a dress~" She nudges Kanji conspicuously. "Riiiight, Kanji-kun?"

"W-what?" He makes the mistake of looking at Naoto (again); Rise swears his face could boil water, it's so red. "I mean, uh… C-c'mon, you gotta do it, Naoto!"

Naoto sits back appalled, and Kanji just wants to melt into the ground. "Excuse me…!? I-I don't have to do anything…! And I would really much prefer to be left out of this farce. Besides, waiting on men…? it just sounds like a sick fantasy."

Rise sticks out her tongue at the blushing Prince. "Booo, don't be such a party pooper." Before Naoto can protest anymore, Rise throws her hand into the air. "Excuse me, class representative! Everyone has to participate, right?"

The bespectacled girl cocks her head to the side. "Er, well, yes. That was the point of the vote…"

Naoto curses quietly under her breath.

While the young Shirogane mourns her temporary defeat, a female classmate walks up to Kanji's desk while twiddling her thumbs shyly. Rise nudges the blond when he's still gawking blindly into the distance. "Y-you'll make the costumes, won't you, Tatsumi-kun?" the girl requests shyly.

Snapping out of it, he rubs the back of his neck in embarrassment (and slightly flattery). "Well I, uh, hadn't really considered it, yanno…?"

Rise, however, squeals at the prospect and grasps him by the arm. "Ooo, you should do it, Kanji-kun! I mean, you're great at that kind of thing, right? Like, sewing and stuff."

"Aw c'mon, it's not like… not like I'm great at it or anything." None of them believe a word he's saying, which fuels his terror. "It's just a hobby sometimes. Seriously!"

The redhead isn't going to take any of it, though. "C'mooon, Kanji-kun!" she wails. "Take one for the team!"

Their conversation, which has been anything but quiet, catches the attention of the class representative. "Hey, that's a great idea!" she says, now standing beside Rise's desk. "You don't mind, right, Kanji-kun?"

(He feels his face go sheet white when he hears her, but it's better than having it feel like it's going to burn off, he decides.) "I… guess not," he gives in, though with a huff.

"And what about you, Rise-chan?"

She blinks in surprise. "Me? Well-"

"I think Risette would be a great greeter!" one of their classmates announces, butting into the conversation. "I mean, if she's the one calling people in, we'd get all kinds of customers!"

"We'd be the most popular class!" another agrees.

"Well…" The class rep slowly turns to Rise, trying to read her reaction. "I can't say I don't disagree… How about it, Rise-chan? Do you mind being the greeter?"

Rise only thinks about it for a second before chirping, "Sure! Why not? Time to put my natural energy and verve to use!" She even throws up a peace sign to display her excitement and approval, but Kanji grimaces and Naoto just wishes she would disappear. At least one of them is happy, the detective thinks as she tries to pull her hat over her face.

* * *

Upstairs, Chie is in the middle of another one of her 'Yosuke sucks' rants. "Group date café," she mutters bitterly, glaring daggers at the perpetrator. "Ugh, you really are the worst, Yosuke."

"I didn't think anyone would _actually_ vote for it!" he protests, trying to defend himself.

Next to them, Taiga timidly raises her hand. "Um… What exactly is a group date café? Is it just where people get together and drink coffee and… date? What does it imply?"

Chie sweatdrops. "I think you might be over thinking it, Tai-chan. But… she does bring up a valid point. How the heck are we supposed to do this?"

Yukiko smiles in reassurance, though it does nothing to ease her friends' worries. "I'm sure we'll come up with something, Chie. It sounds kind of fun, actually…"

Erin laughs nervously as she scratches her cheek. "Y-yeah, I uh, voted for it, too."

"A group date café," their leader reiterates, looking thoughtful. "So, Yosuke, what're we supposed to do? You're the mastermind behind this."

Yosuke swallows nervously. "H-hey, don't look at me!"

"_YOU_ are the one who came up with it!" Chie growls, smacking him roughly on the arm.

"L-let's calm down," Taiga cuts in, trying to play mediator while as the brunette makes swiping motions and Yosuke rolls away. "I'm sure Yosuke-san will pull his own weight…" She glances over at the mentioned male, who's already run off to play paper baseball with some other classmates. "Er…"

Yu looks like he wants to laugh, despite the situation. "So I guess we all voted for something we don't even understand."

Taiga simpers weakly. "I was just curious, to be honest…"

Erin cocks her head to the side and hums lightly. "I-is it like speed dating?" she asks, hoping to shed some light on the matter. "Like we just sit at the table, and… talk about ourselves?" She looks to the others for verification, but they look just as lost as she does.

Chie slaps a hand to her forehead at the following silence. "Ugh, how the heck are we going to pull this off…?"

"So speed-dating in a café setting," Taiga murmurs. "It, er, almost sounds… exotic?"

"I don't think that's quite the term we're looking for…"

"Well, it's the one that won," Yu says with finality, "so we gotta do it and make it good." He clenches his fist and nods, donning a persona of determination that they only see when he's about to destroy Shadows.

"Geez, you're really gettin' all fired up about this, aren't you?" Chie asks with a sigh. "Well, like you said, too late to back out now… Man, let's just get this over with…"

* * *

_The Weekend of the Cultural Festival…_

Yukiko stands idly in the doorway with Taiga and Yu, rocking back and forth on her feet. The hallway is nearly empty, but even the passersby are walking past them without even looking. (And if they do look, they quickly avert their eyes and shuffle by quicker.) "No one's showed up yet," she states sadly. "What should we do?"

Taiga tries not to look too downtrodden. "Um, maybe we should go around with snacks and invite people to join us…"

Yu looks down at her with interest. "You mean, like, false advertising?"

"N-no…!" she gasps. "I mean… Maybe?" She sighs, hangs her head in defeat. "I'm admittedly a little embarrassed… I didn't think we'd be such a failure."

"Hey, failure is a bit harsh, isn't it…?" Yukiko looks around some more, but her shoulders droop and she too sighs.

Inside, Yosuke pulls a straw wrapper off one of the tables and fiddles with it. Suddenly, an idea strikes him (and Chie thinks about hitting him, too). "Hey, what if we called Rise-chan over here?" he suggests. "I mean, Risette a group date café… Should definitely stir up some business, right?"

Erin claps her hands together in delight. "That's a great idea, Yosuke-kun! Which one of us should go, though?"

Taiga turns around, hearing the conversation. "Why don't you go, Rin-san? We can hold the fort here until you return."

"Besides," says Chie, "if we send Yosuke, he'll probably never come back." Yosuke looks like he's about to protest, but he acknowledges the truth and just shrugs.

Erin stands up with a nod and smooths out the wrinkles in her skirt. "Alright! Be back in a second!"

* * *

"Welcome, welcome, to our Maid Café! Come in, take off your coats, and let us take care of you!" Rise winks just once, and immediately a flock of boys come swarming through the door. "You're in good hands, I promise~" A couple girls look longingly over at the café, but are too embarrassed to follow the males.

Kanji crosses his arms over his chest, mildly impressed by the show. "Damn, she's good…"

Naoto's too busy fighting with her coat to pay attention to Rise's show. "Yes, well, Rise-chan certainly does have a flair for advertisement…" She managed to wriggle her way out of wearing a maid outfit, but she still has yet to be convinced that being dressed as a butler is any better.

Erin walks towards them at that moment, bearing a bright grin, but she slows to a complete stop. "Oh, hey guys! Um, are you busy right now?"

Rise spins and clings to Erin's arm, dragging her inside. "Oh, Rin-senpai! Not at all! Why don't you join us since you're here~?"

Naoto bows, though embarrassed. "A-ah, hello, Rin-senpai."

Finally noticing her underclassman, Erin blushes slightly. "W-well, actually, I…" Rise quickly pushes her into a seat, all but tying her down. "Kanji-kun?" she squeaks out of desperation. "Help?" He ignores her completely and thrusts a menu into her hands.

"We are here to serve and please~" Rise gushes, giggling. Before getting too into it, though, she turns her attention to the stoic Kanji, and scrutinizes his school uniform with a pout. "Oi, Kanji-kun, you're looking a little out of place. Get changed."

He gawks at her. "What!? You can't just tell me -"

"Yes," Naoto interrupts, "it would only be fair."

"N-Naoto, too…?"

Rise briefly excuses herself before pushing Kanji towards the stored uniforms in the back of the classroom. "C'mon, Kanji-kun!" she pleads. "You can't serve dressed like that! Think of the customers!"

Kanji scowls, but he begins to shift through the uniforms anyway. His face falls, however, when he comes to a realization. "Yo! Rise."

"Mhmmm?"

"There's, uh… only a maid's dress left."

"Oh, too ba -" She stops herself, then a devilish grin makes its way across her face. "Well, beggars can't be choosers! Better get going, Kanji-kun~!"

"What the hell!? There ain't _no_ way I'm wearin' a dress!"

"Well, you made it. I don't see the big deal."

Kanji's ears are beet red by now. "It's a _DRESS_."

On the other side of the classroom, Erin stands up and blinks in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing, ahahaha," Rise laughs, waving her wrist dismissively. She turns to Kanji, pulling him down so that he's level with her glare. "Hey, what's a better show of manliness than wearing a dress?"

He deadpans. "Uh, I don't really see how that wo -"

She picks up a dress and shoves it into his arms before pushing him towards the bathrooms. "Trust me! I know~"

Confused, Naoto turns to Erin. "Ah, so…" She rubs the back of her neck, unsure of how to proceed. She's had a couple of customers today (a couple some of the braver females in the school), but she's still incredibly uncomfortable. "S-so, what would you like, Rin-senpai?"

"Oh!" she answers, startled. "Well…" She opens her mouth to say something, but quickly rethinks it and swallows it rather painfully. "Maybe just a glass of water…?" she asks weakly, trying to cover up her earlier blunder. "I'm not really supposed to be here anyway; I just came to pick up Rise-chan…"

"Rise-chan?" Naoto glances towards the back, sees that the other two are still gone. "Well, it seems as though she's a bit tied up at the moment." She smiles, then fetches a glass of water to hand to the brunette. "How is your booth coming along?"

Erin takes the glass with a smile. "Not so good, actually… We haven't had one person come by yet." She gazes down at the table, then suddenly snaps her head back up. "Hey! Why don't you come by? They don't _really_ need you here, right?"

"W-what? Well…" She looks around, thinking that _anything_ is better than a maid café, and nods. "I suppose you're right. What's one less butler?" she asks with a chuckle.

"Ah, then…" Erin stands up and offers her hand to Naoto, stifling a small giggle. "Shall we, sir butler?"

The younger girl blinks at Erin's hand, then takes it. "Very well, then. Lead the way."

Kanji yelps when he realizes that Rise is standing in the men's bathroom. "H-hey, you can't be in here with me! Get out!"

She rolls her eyes at him as she folds her arms across her chest. "I'm just here to make sure that you don't run away! I'll close my eyes, watch." She covers her eyes with one hand.

He flushes. "W-why would you look!? … I-I mean, 's nothing to see… No, I mean…!"

"Kanji-kun!"

"Sorry!" He scratches his neck and awkwardly coughs into his hand. "… Ahh, j-just turn around, wouldja?"

"Geez, geez, fine… So sensitive." Rise turns around and begins to rock back and forth on her heels.

"Can't believe I'm doing this…" Grunting, Kanji slips into the dress, surprised that it fits - for the most part. "Uh…" Realizing his problem, his face immediately falters. "Hey, do you think you could…?"

"Could… what?"

"Uh, well, my zipper…"

She scrunches up her face, slightly afraid of what he's implying. "What about it?"

"It's, uh… stuck."

"Oh, that!" she replies, a little too perkily considering the situation. "Y-yeah, no problem!" Rise clears her throat, then skips over and pulls up the zipper in one quick motion, ignoring his strangled cry. "… Ooops?"

"Okay, tighter fit than I thought," he wheezes, turning around to face her. Rise has to slap a hand to her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. "How does it look?"

"Y-y-y-you look _great_, Kanji-kun," she answers, as evenly as she can. "Super! Great!" He can definitely hear her snickering from behind her hand. "Okay, let's go back!"

* * *

**Chapter written by der kapitan~**


	2. Group Date

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter seems back and forth! D8 I'm not so good at detailed dialogue, you see xD And there isn't much Kanji and Rise in this chapter; this one focuses more on the upperclassmen and the side pairings in this. Hope you enjoy anyway~**

* * *

**The Sun Rises With You: Chapter 2**

a Persona 4 (© ATLUS) fanfiction

a _der kapitan/Miss Hanamura_ collaboration

**xXxXx**

Yukiko stands poised by the doorframe, hands interlaced together, and when she sees Naoto and Erin approach her, smiles softly.

"Oh! You guys are back~" She tries looking over their shoulders for Rise, and when she doesn't find her, asks: "Where's Rise-chan?"

Naoto rubs the back of her neck, anxious, and clearly reminiscent over the past events that had unfolded thus far. Although a suit wasn't _nearly_ as embarrassing as a maid's dress, the look Yukiko was shooting her still made her cheeks flush slightly, despite herself, "She was... _Preoccupied_, to say the least..."

Yu joins the girls, and rolls his head; the light cracking that follows brings a contented smile to his face, "Well, that's fine. We can still do a practice run, right?"

Naoto raises a quizzical eyebrow, and looks between the 3 of them, "Practice run...? What _exactly_ are you doing?" And then her sapphire blue eyes wander the room, take in the "romantic" atmosphere, and decorations, and her face falters, "Errr..."

She then finds herself being ushered into a chair, seconds before she can react, and bolt for the nearest exit. A hand is pressing itself onto her shoulder, holding her in place. She looks up. Taiga is laughing softly, and trying to give her a sympathetic smile that goes over the detective's head, "Welcome to the group date, Naoto-san! You've come just in time!"

Sometimes she wondered why she even put up with these people... Or better yet, _how._

Yosuke grins to no one in particular, and nudges Yu with his elbow, "Well, this should be fun, eh, Partner?" Yu returns it with his own little smile, "Let's get started, then!"

"W-Wait a sec..." Chie stops him—scrunches up her slightly tanned face—a sudden realization washing over her as she count the number of heads in the room, "Don't we have too many girls...?"

Erin nods slowly in agreeance, "Oh, yeah! Well, hmm.." She taps her foot on the ground as she comes up with a solution. When one comes to mind, her usual smile's painted on her face, "I-I can sit on the guy's side, I guess~"

The Class representative looks instantly relieved, "Way to take one for the team, Rin-chan! Alright, then, everyone, let's take a seat."

Everyone sits down at one of the tables, boys on one side, and girls on the other. For awhile, a silence falls between them. It isn't necessarily an awkward one (well, maybe a _little_, since none of them had experience with dating), but the tensions there, and it's enough to make them all look around in a daze, waiting for someone to break it.

Taiga clears her throat with a cough into her hand, "So... H-How do we begin?"

"Well, we just need to start a series of questions, and the person we match up with the most..." The Class representative trails off, shrugs his shoulders unsurely. The redhead nods, and knits her eyebrows together, although she still didn't have a grasp on what they were supposed to do.

"Ah, is... _That_ how dating works?" She looks to the others for confirmation, and Chie whispers to her.

"Not quite, but this is a... _Special_ situation."

Taiga nods to herself, and doesn't ask anymore questions.

Yu—reminding himself that he's leader, and as such, should abide himself more on it—decides to start them off, "So, Taiga, what do you look for in a guy?"

Yosuke visibly twitches, "Straight to the point, aren't you?"

Said girl squeaks, wonders when the conversation had shifted to her side of the table, and laughs nervously when she begins to feel heat rise to her cheeks, "Um... Someone dependable, I suppose..." She contorts her face when the words leave her mouth, feels a little silly, and adds, "Oh, no, that's a rather generic answer... Um, someone... Clean?"

"..._Clean_?" Chie asks in a hushed tone. Taiga's blush reddens.

"Oh, was that the wrong answer...?

Erin smiles, although she's sweatdropping on the inside, "Thats, uh, _definitely_ a new one..." She says slowly, and turns to Yukiko, who's been pretty quiet up until now, "What about you, Yuki-chan?"

"M-Me? Well..." She glances at Chie from the corner of her eye, and when their eyes meet, she diverts her gaze down at her lap, blushing. She tries coming up with an adjective that didn't make her crush too obvious, but words fail her, and she decides to go on the vague route, "I-I suppose someone who's... Strong?"

The Class rep groans out loud, and sinks further into his seat. It was times like this that he wished he had better ways to spend his time... Or a girlfriend at least, "... Wow, this is _really_ awkward..."

Chie waves a dismissive hand, and laughs at an attempt to ease the tension lingering in the room, and over their heads, "W-We just need a good question is all!" She looks over at the girl sitting at the corner of the table, "How 'bout you, Naoto-kun?"

"I... Um." The detective clears her throat, and swears that she can feel the temperature in the room rise, "Perhaps, someone who is... Intelligent, yet easy to speak to... Someone I can depend on." She clenches her fists in her lap, and keeps her eyes glued to the table. Yosuke smirks knowingly, and winks at her.

"Oh-ho-ho! Someone in particular, Naoto-kun?"

"No!" But the flush on her cheeks tell him otherwise, and she curses how well he can read her. "Er... Please, can we stop now...?"

Yukiko combs her fingers through her ebony locks, and the question that follows tells Naoto that they _didn't_ plan on stopping anytime soon... "Let's see... Ah, Yosuke-kun, what do you like to do for fun?"

He strokes his chin thoughtfully, "Hmmm... Listening to music is always fun... Video games, hanging out... Just the usual." The brunette shrugs, at a loss for words, and looks at Chie. "What about you, Chie?"

"Me? Huh... W-Well, I really like steak..."

Yosuke sweatdrops, "That's _not_ the kind of answer people are really looking for when they ask what you like to do for fun..."

"Oh!" Yukiko claps her hands together, "Well, Chie-chan also likes to fight Shadows, doesn't she~?"

_Silence_.

Yu uncharacteristically splutters for a reply, and the Class rep is staring at her like she's just grown a second head, "Errr... Shadows? What's—"

"It's nothing!"

"R-Right! Course not!" Erin laughs awkwardly, and another silence follows. This had become the commonplace for them, it seemed... "Uhhhh, so! Tai-chan, which one of us would you rather date?"

"Oh!" Her face falls. "Oh...? Um..." She looks from Yu, to Yosuke, to Erin, to the Class rep, and back, but she still isn't sure how to respond, and it doesn't help that the look Yosuke's giving her is so intense, that he's burning holes through her. "Er, I'm not... I'm not quite sure... I, er..." Her cheeks turn pink.

"Oh, c'mon, Tai-chan. Surely there's _one_ of us that sticks out~"

"W-Well..." Her eyes linger on Yu for a moment before she slaps her hands over her cheeks, as a poor attempt to feign her bashfulness. "N-No, I can't..."

But Yosuke catches the look anyway, and lightly nudges Yu with a smirk, "You heartbreaker, you..."

"I think Naoto-kun and Rin-chan would look great together!" Yukiko suddenly exclaims, and Naoto chokes beside her.

"W-What...?"

Erin blushes, "Me and Naoto-kun...?" She says it slowly, like she's contemplating the idea in her head, but she quickly smothers it when she catches the others' anxious gazes, "B-But we're just friends, right?!" She looks Naoto pleadingly—wants her to argue, to say _anything_—but all she does is blush, and stare down at her lap, and Erin looks slightly put off when she's ignored. She decided the only way out of this was to turn the conversation on someone else, "Well... W-What about you and Chie-chan?"

Yukiko blinks, looking sincerely dumbfounded by the question, "What about us?"

Yosuke decides to join in too, "Oh, c'mon! It's _obvious _you two have the hots for each other!" He's then kicked not-so-subtly under the table by Chie, and grabs his shin in pain. "Ow! Chie!"

"Is that true?" Taiga looks between Yukiko and Chie, and a smile gradually tugs at the corners of her lips, "Well, I do suppose it's rather likely... You two have _such_ a beautiful friendship." Her eyes glaze over.

"T-Tai-chan!?" Chie's stuttering, and staring at the girl next to her in disbelief. Sure, she expected this sort of behavior from Yosuke, but not _her_ of all people, "What are you talking about? That's not—"

Yukiko taps her chin thoughtfully, "Well, Chie-chan_ is _very strong..."

"Yukiko!?"

"Well, I mean..." The ebony haired girl blushes, and smiles sheepishly at the other as she plays with the end of her skirt, "I-I've thought about it once or twice, haven't you...?"

Chie blushes bright red, "W-Well, yeah, maybe a couple of times, but like in dreams and stuff..." Yukiko's eyes widen, and Chie waves her hands, "Wait! No, that's _not_ what I meant!"

The Class rep tugs on his collar, not liking where this conversation was leading, "Umm..." He looks at Yu, like he was quietly asking if this was normal for them, and the latter shrugs his shoulders in defeat.

"So, you and Naoto, huh...?" Yosuke turns to Erin, humming his approval, "Well, I _guess_ I can see it. And for the longest time we _did_ think she was a guy..."

Naoto scowls, "I'm sitting right here and can _hear _everything you're saying!"

If it were any possible, Erin's blush has intensified, and she's failing her arms in a useless attempt to sway him, "It's _not_ like that! W-We're just friends!"

"Uh-huh, suuure~" He winks at her, but it feels anything _but_ sincere, "Don't worry, I understand."

"Yosuke-kun!"

"Yosuke-senpai, _please_, Rin-senpai and I are merely—"

His hands shoot up in defense, "Hey, you don't need to explain it to me! To each their own, you know?" He ends his sentence with a small shrug; he was surprisingly nonchalant about the whole thing.

Naoto pinches the bridge of her nose, and sighs in defeat, "Honestly..."

Yu is fidgeting awkwardly in his seat, trying his best to hide his discomfort, but failing terribly. He whispers to Taiga, who, for the most part, is sharing a similar expression, "Should we leave...?" He wonders aloud, and she chuckles nervously at the idea as she slowly eases herself out of her own chair.

"Y-Yes, I feel as though I'm intruding on something rather private..." They sneak out of the room, and walk out into the hall, which goes unnoticed by the others.

Meanwhile, Yukiko is staring longly at Chie, cups her face for a moment—hesitantly, asking with her eyes if this is okay—then suddenly smashes their lips together. Chie manages a small gasp, but didn't seem to hate the action... She looked almost... _Relieved _by it? Her hands find their way behind Yukiko's head, tug on her ebony hair, and bring her closer.

Yosuke's watching the whole scene unwravel with curious brown eyes, then nudges Erin's side with his elbow, "Told ya so!" His eyes wander her figure for a bit, before resting on her face with a sly smile, "...Maybe you and Naoto should do that too~?"

A blush, "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Well, honestly, it _would_ be a little hot... OW! Naoto?!" For a girl her size, she certainly had some _force_ behind her kick...

"P-Please, senpai, have some class!" Her cheeks are a bright red, and she's itching to leave. Faking her own death sounded like a viable choice all of a sudden... Her hand is reaching across the table for Erin's, but when the thought crosses her mind, she refuses to look at her, and instead, blushes more, "P-Perhaps we should take our leave as well, Rin-senpai..."

The forgotten Class representative at the table stares blatantly at Yukiko and Chie kissing, thinks to himself that this has got to be the _worst_ group date in history, and wants to melt into the floor instead, "This... Wasn't _exactly_ what I had in mind..."

* * *

**Chapter written by ****MissHanamura**


	3. Rendezvous

**Author's Note:**

**Eheheheh, so this story was supposed to be mainly Kanji/Rise, but we kind of got carried away with the other pairings in the process… Oops. Still hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**The Sun Rises With You**

a Persona 4 (© ATLUS) fanfiction

a _der kapitan_/_Miss Hanamura_ collaboration

**xXxXx**

As Yu and Taiga quietly take their leave, and as Erin grabs Naoto's hand and makes a run for it, Yosuke and a stunned Class Representative continue to sit, displaced, across from Yukiko and Chie. When the dark-haired beauty finally breaks the kiss, breathing quickly and flushed pink, she slaps her hands to her cheeks. "I'm sorry!" she apologizes to the brunette, who's starry-eyed. "I-I don't know what came over me…"

"W-what…?" Still stunned, Chie has to shake her head to bring herself back down to reality. "I mean, that was great, but… H-hold on, Yukiko, I…" She holds her hand against her mouth, as though memorizing the imprint of Yukiko's mouth against her own. "Wow…"

Yukiko and Chie are still obviously trying to come to terms with what has just happened, but Yosuke looks strangely nonplussed. Their class representative, however, gawks in disbelief. "Hey," he says, nudging the bespectacled teen, "I'm not doing that with you." The addressed shifts violently in his seat to glare at Yosuke, who snickers, before getting up to leave.

Yukiko blinks, then slowly reaches out to hold Chie's hand; she gives it a soft squeeze. "Chie? A-are you okay…?"

"I'm just a little… dazed, I guess," she answers. "I mean, that's… It's almost everything I ever —" She suddenly turns to Yosuke, who she finally remembers is still in the room with them. "Hey, what are you still doing here!?"

He shrugs. "I didn't know you wanted me to leave."

Chie absolutely fumes as she throws a crumpled piece of paper at him. "Does it _look_ like you're wanted here!?"

"Yeesh, so temperamental," he replies, flicking the paper back at her. Nevertheless, he stands up to shuffle out of the classroom. As he leaves, they can hear him muttering, "Fff, love turns people into assholes…"

Yukiko cocks her head as she watches Yosuke retreat, then turns back to Chie. "What were you saying?" she asks with a smile.

Chie swallows nervously, butterflies rumbling in her tummy. "I just… Yukiko, are you… Are you serious? I mean— I mean, do you really…?" She can't even formulate a full question, she's so flustered. Her cheeks turn pinker than Yukiko has ever seen them, but her eyes are bright.

"Yes," Yukiko replies, nervously but surely. "Th-that is, if you'll have me…"

"Oh c-c'mon, Yukiko," Chie laughs, though it sounds forced, "when you say it like that…" She gulps, the looks into Yukiko's eyes with as much courage as she can muster. "I mean, we've known each other long enough… We don't have to be like that…" Her gaze, which has been so intense, softens as they drift down to Yukiko's trembling fingers; slowly, she takes them and intertwines them with hers.

Yukiko's breath hitches, but she smiles gently. "I… really do like you, Chie."

Even if she knows it now (perhaps has always known it), Chie can't help but blush. Her heart is racing against her rib cage — she swears it'll burst if it goes any faster. "I… I seriously can't believe this is real. But… But I mean, if you're totally okay with this… Then, I…" She presses her lips together contemplatively. After a while, she says, "It's always been you, Yukiko."

Yukiko's eyes widen before her body relaxes considerably. "Really…? You mean it?"

"Of course!" Chie replies confidently, drawing a giggle from the Amagi's lips. "I mean… You've always been there for me and— and even though that stupid Shadow said I just wanted to keep you because it made me feel better… I just…" She stutters and fumbles over her words, and Yukiko can't help but laugh. "Oh, come on! I'm no good at this!"

"I know, I know!" Yukiko replies good-naturedly. Chie's words and actions, though not always eloquent, have always had charm, she thinks. "Hey, why don't we get out of here?"

Chie stands up excitedly, holding one of Yukiko's hands in her own. "Alright! Let's go and have fun! … Together!"

Filled with an incredible joy and warmth that she has never felt before, Yukiko laughs as she too stands. "M'hm! Let's go!"

* * *

Out of the corner of her eye, Naoto sees Chie and Yukiko walking side by side, fingers not quite interlacing but still touching intimately. She thinks of making a comment, but suddenly realizes that Erin's gaze is focused rather intently on her face. "Er, m-my apologies, Rin-senpai. I was momentarily distracted… Where are we going?"

"Ah, I don't know," the older female admits with a small laugh. "I really just wanted to get out of there, honestly… Do you just want to walk around?"

"Yes, it was beginning to get a little… bizarre in there." Naoto smiles softly, then bobs her head. "Certainly. I'm sure there are plenty of places we can visit."

"Of course!" Though she smiles, Erin realizes that she's still holding onto Naoto's hand. Slowly, she uncoils their fingers while wearing an apologetic (and perhaps hesitant) expression. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to."

Naoto's dark gaze wanders to their fingers as she stretches hers out a bit. She bites down on her lower lip when she identifies an unfamiliar warmth spreading from the tips of her fingers. "Oh, no, I… I didn't even notice." She quickly turns her head and clears her throat. "W-well, what would you like to see first?"

"Um, well…" She spots the bizarre look on Naoto's face and frowns. "Hey… What's wrong, Naoto-kun?"

"Huh? Nothing, I'm…" Embarrassed for whatever reason, she rubs the back of her neck. "I suppose I'm just a bit… confused is all."

"Confused?" Erin's eyebrows knit together as she takes a step closer to the Detective Prince. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Rather than being comforted by the sudden closeness, Naoto gasps and takes a step backwards out of instinct. "I… I'm not sure. No, I don't think so. I just feel very…" She grasps the front of her suit; Erin sees that her pale fingers are shaking. "I'm sorry, Rin-senpai. I don't quite understand it myself, to be honest."

"Well… Maybe this'll help…?" Courage blossoms in her chest, giving Erin that extra push to step forward and quickly peck Naoto on the cheek. Just as soon as it spreads, however, it disappears, and Erin moves away like she's been burned.

Naoto's breath hitches as her eyes widen to the size of saucers. "S-senpai! I…" She raises a hand to the spot where Erin kissed her. "So, do you… I mean, you do…"

"Well, y-yeah," Erin replies, as confidently as she can. "I mean…" Her cheeks flush, and she diverts her gaze from Naoto's questioning eyes. "I mean, what's not to like? You're beautiful, smart, independent…" She stops herself short, awfully embarrassed now, and ties her lip. "I said too much, didn't I?"

"I… Rin-senpai…." Naoto wrings her hands together, unsure of how to respond because she's so unsure of the own emotions racing through her. "I'm a little… I suppose I'm just a little surprised. N-no one's ever really told me this before, so I… I'm not quite sure how to go about this."

Erin's face scrunches up a bit. "Well, I mean… D-did you hate it?" It looks like it pains her to even ask the question.

"Ah, I…" Naoto clears her throat again, though it doesn't do much to clear her anxiety. She turns to her senpai, but she can't quite meet her eyes. "N-no, I don't think so… It's not a negative feeling I'm experiencing, I don't think…"

Immediately, Erin feels her spirit rise. Tentatively, she cups Naoto's face in her hands, forcing the shorter girl to look up. "Then, please, just… Naoto-kun, I need to know how you feel… Because I…" She forces a smile. "I really like you~!"

"I… Rin-senpai, I can't just easily…" She swallows thickly, her eyes darting everywhere but at Erin. "I don't…" Her blue eyes widen as they finally catch Erin's, and she chuckles. "Goodness, you're so straightforward. It would… I suppose it would only be fair, then, if I, too…" She clears her throat, though her voice continues to lower. "I suppose that I… You're feeling, I— They are reciprocated," she says finally.

Erin's expression has fallen before Naoto even finishes her sentence. "W-well, that's okay, I understa—" She trails off when she realizes that she hasn't been rejected. "Wait a sec," she mumbles. "Did you just say…?" And suddenly, her face brightens up and her arms are wrapped tightly around the smaller girl. "Thank you! You won't regret it, I promise!"

Naoto gasps as she's hugged, then laughs softly into Erin's blazer. "Certainly, I don't think I have to worry about that…" She flushes intensely, but slowly returns the embrace. "I, um… I'm not quite sure how to proceed…"

"Well, uh…" The brunette pulls away just enough to see Naoto's expression, then swallows the lump growing in her throat. "W-we could try… _kissing_?" Her cheeks turn pink and her eyes brighten at the simple mention of the word. "But, uh, w-we don't have to! I-I mean…"

"K-kissing…!?" she breathes, beside herself. "W-well…" Her eyes inadvertently shift to Erin's lips, and when she catches herself, she just blushes and splutters more. "I… I would… like to, perhaps…" She lightly licks her own lips, still staring at Erin's, then meets her eyes quickly before leaning in carefully. Erin grins as she too leans in, until their lips are only centimeters apart. She takes a deep breath before closing the distance completely and tugging Naoto closer.

Naoto tenses as soon as their lips touch, but eventually she relaxes into the kiss and leans closer to Erin. Eventually, the latter breaks the kiss for air. "Thank you, Naoto-kun~" Smiling, she tucks some of Naoto's stray hair behind her ear. "Sorry, I… I still can't believe all this is happening." She laughs lightly.

Naoto quickly raises a hand to catch Erin's, reveling in the instant shock that shoots through her bones. "I— Well, it is rather incredible… I… I'd never have imagined…" She smiles shyly. "I certainly don't regret it."


End file.
